[Assam] Do people in Assam take any Holy book as from GOD without reservations? The HOLINESS of one BOOK is being put under very revealing scholarly scrutiny in the article pasted here. Part 1 of the article 2.

Thu Sep 6 08:30:39 CDT 2007

Dear Saleh sahib,

That was a pretty good explanation of why BB's post could be termed
insensitive (at the least).

While there are problems with religions in general (in their books, their
rituals, and possibily their belief systems), most people have come a long
way in taking pot-shots at religions (specially those of others).

It is a quite a common ploy to mix up Islam with the Bangladeshi influx
problem. Every politician seems to get mileage out of framing the illegal
Bangladeshi problem in a religious context.
If only the illegal influx problem could be dealt with in on a national
security or as an encroachment on Indian territorial borders it would go a
long way.

--Ram

On 9/6/07, Wahid Saleh(GM) <wahid.saleh at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Van: Dilip/Dil Deka [mailto:dilipdeka at yahoo.com]
> Verzonden: donderdag 6 september 2007 4:52
> Aan: wahid.saleh at gmail.com; assam at assamnet.org
> Onderwerp: Re: [Assam] Do people in Assam take any Holy book as from GOD
> without reservations? The HOLINESS of one BOOK is being put under very
> revealing scholarly scrutiny in the article pasted here. Part 1 of the
> article 2.
>
> Mr, Saleh,
> I have never written to you directly. This is the first time.
> I do take exception to some of your writing. I hope I don't offend you.
> I'd
> like other netters to comment on what I am posting.
> Yours respectfully,
> Dilip Deka
>
> WS: Dear Mr. Deka,
> Thanks for your comments. You are free to take exceptions to some of my
> writings. The five fingers of the hands are not all equal. My knowledge of
> religion is very limited. It is not my pet subject. In this area I am an
> apprentice of the novice. Hence I don't know if I would be able to give
> the
> correct reply.
>
> DD: Why shouldn't he speak up if he wants to question the writings in the
> Quoran?
> WS: He is free to speak up. I hope you will agree with me that the others
> are equally free to question about his writings.
>
> On the net there are also discussions on "One Indian Hindu research
> professor, in his stunning book, claims that the description of Avatar
> found
> in the holy books of Hindu religion is in fact that of the Prophet
> Muhammad". It is about Kalki Avatar by pundit Vedaprakash Upadhyay. On is
> free to write and publish. It is up to the readers to read and accept. The
> danger is only when one accepts it at its face value.
>
> Prof Dwijendra Narayan Jha, a respected historian of ancient India, was/is
> under attack for daring to examine the myth of the sacred cow. In his book
> "The myth of The Holy Cow" he produced compelling evidence from a variety
> of
> religious and secular texts about meat eating habits of ancient Hindus.
> The
> book was banned in India. It seems you don't have the freedom all the
> time.
>
> http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20021101fabook10064/d-n-jha/the-myth-of-the-ho
> ly-cow.html
>
> DD: I was amazed that you used (PBUH) as though you are afraid to use
> Mohammed's name in writing.
> WS: You have the freedom to be amazed. I was brought up with certain
> traditions with respect to religion. Living in the West does not mean
> leaving the values and traditions. The same way I respect other traditions
> and values of Indian culture and follow them.
>
> DD: Please do not act like an ostrich. You know very well why Bartta
> Bistar
> posted it. Assam's future is very much linked to how Muslims in Assam
> (both
> old timers and the new arrivals) act in the next thirty years.
> WS: Sorry Mr. Deka. I don't agree with you. I am not trying to be an
> ostrich. In this respect I am not very diplomatic. During my last visit to
> Assam in my interviews - both for the print media as well as on TV, I
> pointed out the danger of unabated influx of Bangladeshi's. I mentioned
> that
> if the government does take immediate actions, very soon, we shall be all
> "Assamese Miyas". The problem is not religion - I do admit that some
> interested parties are misusing it for personal gain. The political
> parties
> should have the courage to take bold decisions like Arunachal Pradesh and
> Nagaland to deport all the illegals. But if they want them to use for
> their
> vote banks - then I am sorry we have to face the music. There is then no
> use
> of blaming others. People will come by hook or by crook where there is
> food
> and the pasture is green. We see it now from the immigrants from Africa
> and
> Asia who risk everything just to be in Europe - where they dream of
> starting
> a decent life. As an Assamese at present our greatest misfortune is we
> don't
> have real political or community leaders who can lead us and take
> unpleasant
> and bold decisions. But I failed to see the relation between origin of the
> Quran and the Bangladeshi problem. I doubt how many of them have read the
> Quran.
>
> Sorry again. I agree to disagree with your next point. Do you really mean
> assimilation leaving the values, norms and traditions and adopting the new
> one? This is a hot topic now in the Netherlands. If you do so you leave
> everything. Quran being in Arabic does not mean one cannot assimilate to
> use
> your word - the same way the Hindu religious books being in Sanskrit did
> not
> hamper Indians to get adjusted to other culture keeping their Indianness.
> During their prayer most of the educated mass recites the prayers in
> Sanskrit without understanding them. The NRI's still try to preserve their
> identity by forming associations based on language. If they assimilate
> then
> no need for such actions.
>
> As far as I know before the independence it was not an issue as it was not
> politicized. In the Sepoy mutiny both the Hindus and Muslims fought side
> by
> side. In my own family (I am Muslim by the way) we have married from other
> religions - Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi etc. Among my friends in Assam
> I
> know of several inter-religious marriages. In school and college my best
> friends were (and still are) Hindus. I have a Brahmin friend who went to a
> Madrassa, now speaks Arabic (which I don't) and worked in one of the
> highest
> posts outside India, in an International organisation. As already
> mentioned,
> it is the politicians (students and others) - if they would have taken the
> necessary steps to push the Bangladeshi's (Both Muslims and Hindus), we
> would not have this problem today. I dare say we would have a better Assam
> then what we have today. Quran in another language would not make any
> difference. We have it in Assamese as well as in English and other
> languages. But how many takes the trouble of reading it. Just like how
> many
> Hindus take the trouble of reading the Veda's, Purana's and other holy
> scriptures or the Christian reading the Old Testament?
>
> I am not trying to be an ostrich Mr. Deka. I try to keep an open mind.
> Where
> possible I tried to understand other faiths. In my student days I got a
> diploma in Bible reading. During my college days at Kerala from my Parsi
> friends I tried to understand their faith. I read the Rig Veda (which
> according to my Hindu friends in the Netherlands - none of them has taken
> the trouble of reading). As I am active in promoting Indian
> culture-specially classical Indian music and dance I have gone through
> Patanjali.
> I have read the English version of Ramayana and Mahabharata. I know there
> are also the Srutis and Smrits divided in to the 4 Veda's, 4 Upa-veda's ,
> 18
> purana's, 46 upapurans', 108 Upanishads.
>
> If you go through my Internet site (www.indiawijzer.nl) you will see that
> I
> have included quite a bit of information on the major religions of India.
> Unfortunately it is in Dutch as this chapter is meant for the school
> children. Although I am a Muslim, yet a few years back my Surinamese Hindu
> friends requested me to make a power point presentation about the Hindu
> Marriage Rituals (I admit I did not consult the Brahman's where I
> understand
> you have the explanations about rituals). This was presented at the Milan
> Festival which is attended by more than 70.000 visitors. As Secretary of
> the
> Netherlands-India Association, for more than 15 years I organised
> functions
> for Diwali, Holi etc. So I take the freedom of not considering as an
> ostrich.
>
> Our problem is that we are all like a frog in a well and don't want to
> accept that there are oceans outside. Our religion and our norms and
> values
> are best. How many have taken the trouble of reading Salman Rushdi's or
> Taslima Nasreens book before condemning them?
>
> To me religion is a personal matter and hope others will respect the same.
> Reading and understanding the Quran helps me to respect other faith. I try
> to follow the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
>
> I conclusion I quote a very well-known prayer:
> We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
> Who has created the Universe;
> Who is worthy of Worship;
> Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
> Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance;
> May He enlighten our Intellect.
>
> If I am not mistaken you will find the above in Yajur Veda, Saam Veda and
> Rig Veda. It is even praised in Manu Smariti. It is a pity that it is in
> Sanskrit and its meaning is not known to many. Otherwise it is a universal
> prayer.
>
> I hope I am able to reply to your comments. If not, I have to disappoint
> you. I don't have any extra intellectual baggage for my ego-massage or as
> one of my friends usually say for self-satisfaction of the ego.
>
> Warm regards,
> Wahid Saleh
> PS: I am sorry that I have taken up so much space and time.
>
>
>
>
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